


do you feel the same way? am I only dreaming? (or is this burning an eternal flame?)

by MarvelousAvengfulSlytherin



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Betty Cooper & Toni Topaz Friendship, Betty Cooper Is Protective of Reggie, Cheryl Blossom & Betty Cooper Friendship, Especially towards Betty Cooper, F/M, Mentions of Griffins & Gargoyles Board Game, Reggie Mantle Is a Softie
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-07
Updated: 2019-01-07
Packaged: 2019-10-05 22:02:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17333156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarvelousAvengfulSlytherin/pseuds/MarvelousAvengfulSlytherin
Summary: I'll love you till the day I die, Betty Cooper.Maybe it was a bit too forward to say to someone during the first date but that's how Reggie felt towards the blonde haired girl. Betty Cooper was someone that Reggie always saw every day and never thought about much. Until she was hanging off the arm of Jughead Jones and Reggie had to stop himself from trying to haul Betty away from him. Reggie always seemed to play second fiddle when it came to Betty.





	do you feel the same way? am I only dreaming? (or is this burning an eternal flame?)

_I'll love you till the day I die, Betty Cooper._

Maybe it was a bit too forward to say to someone during the first date but that's how Reggie felt towards the blonde haired girl. Betty Cooper was someone that Reggie always saw every day and never thought about much. Until she was hanging off the arm of Jughead Jones and Reggie had to stop himself from trying to haul Betty away from him. Reggie always seemed to play second fiddle when it came to Betty. He knew since the day that he saw Betty in his fifth-grade class that she could do anything. She could make anyone happy, usually, Archie Andrews and Reggie liked that about Betty.

But he kept that to himself and decided that he wasn't an Archie Andrews for Betty Cooper. He pranked people, butted-heads with Betty Cooper. It went back and forth but he never tried to let those words harm her. 

Now after finding out Jughead and Betty broke up, Reggie had to at least give it a chance. So, one day he walked up to Betty who was chatting with Veronica while putting her books away in her locker. Summer was officially over and the loss of Archie Andrews, stuck in jail was a heavy cloud over the high school. But even with that, there was still that mysterious game going around school. Reggie didn't care about that, he still wanted to have a chance with the blond haired girl. "Cooper," He acknowledged her with a grin. She turned to look at him, waiting. Here goes nothing, he thought. "Would you like to go out for a dinner at Pop's with me?"

Reggie was sure she was going to just turn him down as Kevin and Jughead approached the trio from behind Veronica. She was just looking on with batted breath like Reggie was feeling. He was surprised when Betty said yes, simple as that.

"Pick you up at six?"

"Okay," She said. They said goodbye and Reggie felt like he was walking on cloud nine. He was going on a date with Betty Cooper and the grin on his face couldn't be wiped off.

* * *

Betty didn't know what possessed her to allow herself to go on a date with Reggie Mantle. But she did agree, much to the shock of Kevin, Jughead and the overjoy of Veronica. It wasn't that she was still lovesick over Jughead. She's been trying to move on from the heartbreak of a break-up. She still let the door open for Jughead, wanting to make sure that even though they weren't a couple that did not mean they couldn't be friends.

She didn't want it to be more so awkward between them, with Jughead going full-time Serpent and Betty just wanting everything to go back to normal, especially with Archie currently in jail. So, when Reggie Mantle asked her out, Betty didn't blink twice. _She said yes._

Reggie picked her up at six on the dot. He wore a simple blue t-shirt, dark jeans and the Bulldogs letterman jacket on him. It would be her first date since breaking up with Jughead and since the whole Black Hood fiasco, so Betty was nervous. She had Veronica on the phone the whole hour getting read, picking an outfit and fixing her hair. She had a dark blue skirt and black polka-dot blouse. The black boots were a good combo or at least that's what Ronnie had told her, as she styled her hair down in waves.

He looked at her before asking if they should go which she agreed. Locking the door behind her, Betty was now glad her mom was out and Polly was away.

The ride to Pop's was awkward. They have never gone out before, usually, their conversations involved arguing with one another about who won that argument. but today it seemed they were at lost of words. Reggie just stared ahead trying to think of an icebreaker when Betty piped up.

"So, how about that dumb game? You played it yet?" He quickly noticed Betty tense at the mention of the game, Griffons, and Gargoyles. Her eyes looked fearful at Reggie as if he just told her that he was about to drive them off a cliff. "You aren't playing it are you?"

Reggie snorted before Betty shot him a serious look. "No, I'm not" He slowly said, looking confused at Betty over her fear of a dumb game. "It's some stupid old game from the time our parents were teens, why would I go play it? Betty?"

She didn't look at him, staring straight ahead at the road. He could see Pop's neon sign up ahead, shining brightly in the darkening sky. "Betty, hey what's going on?" He's never seen her this fearful, especially of some dumb game. "Bets?" His voice went softly.

"Please don't play that game Reg. Please, I don't want anything to happen to you." Reggie parked the car, letting the engine stop. Betty had tears, rolling down her face. Now Reggie was worried as he tried to calm her down. "Hey, I'm not going to play it but what's got you so up against some old game Betty?"

She seemed hesitant to say but finally, she did. The neon lights illuminated the car, casting its lights on the teens in the car.

"People die when they play the game Reg and I don't want that to happen to you." Reggie, already taken off his seat belt, pulled her into a hug. Betty sniffled as Reggie rubbed her back."I don't want anyone to get hurt. People died because of this game and I don't want anyone that I care about getting hurt or..." she trailed off.

They stayed like that for a few minutes before Betty pulled back, wiping the tears away from the corner of her eyes. "God, I'm sorry for ruining this date Reg." He shook his head. "It's okay Bets. I promise you that I won't go play that dumb game. Now, how about we cheer you up with some burgers and milkshakes." That made Betty smile which made Reggie happy.

Pop greeted them, taking their orders when they sat down at a booth. He came back with their orders, two burgers, side of fries with a chocolate and vanilla milkshakes. Reggie could see Betty was still a bit shaken from the talk about the board game so he asked about the newspaper. Betty instantly lit up like a Christmas tree, describing the new articles she was working on. The conversation switched to Archie as Reggie recently went to go visit him a few weeks ago.

"I promised him that I would keep an eye on his dad," Betty told him. It didn't surprise him that Archie would ask Betty that, Archie loved his dad. "He's doing alright. Told me that Mrs. A was coming to visit him."

They talked some more about high school classes and what colleges they were pursuing in the near future. But then as they exited the diner, the conversation switched back to Griffins and Gargoyles. They both knew that almost everyone was playing it at school, but Reggie was still worried about how Betty reacted towards the game. He couldn't get her voice out of his head, laced with worry over the fact of Reggie playing the game.

He promised her that he wouldn't play the game and Reggie vowed that he wouldn't.

* * *

They went out on another date again. This time Reggie took her to a picnic, just on the north side of Sweetwater River.

Betty seemed relaxed looking out over the water. They laughed about the time Archie clumsily spilled paint over the floor in their fifth-grade class, his hair in different colors at the end of the day, all dried up and very colorfully bright.

"I told him that skittles caused it when Mr. A wanted to know what happened." Betty was hiccuping from the laughter and Reggia was shaking as well. They hadn't laughed this hard in, well, forever. For a moment, they just wanted it to stay like this forever, laughing care-free.

* * *

"Our parents played it?" Josie asked skeptically. "They played Griffins and Gargoyles. By playing that game, their old principal died from the same type of drink Dillon Doyle died."

Reggie looked at Betty as everything slowly started making sense. That's why she freaked out when he brought it up on their date, Reggie thought. She explained her mom's story about their parents playing the game and finding the dead principal Featherhead days later. "Someone poisoned the chalice and now someone is bringing this game back."

They promised to catch up after when Veronica needed their help about Archie. "Reg, I'm sorry I didn't mean-" But he waved her off. "It's okay Cooper. Plus, the black eye makes me look pretty rugged, you got to admit it." He flashed her a smirk which made Betty give him a smile. His heart jumped at the fact that he made her smile.

"C'mon Mantle lets go save our friend."

"It's _Mantle The Magnificent_ to you, Cooper."

Later when the dust cleared and they had Archie, he noticed the game on the table in Dillon's bunk. He remembered the promise he made to Betty that night.

* * *

"Reggie!" Betty's voice was frantic that made Reggie sit up from his bed. It was close to midnight and when Betty called him, Reggie thought she was just checking on him. But instead, she seemed frantic and scared. "I need your help. My mom-" Betty explained through a shaky voice that her mom tried sending her to the Sisters of Quiet Mercy. She pretended to go upstairs to pack but instead grabbed whatever clothing she could stuff in her school bag before dangerously and stupidly climbing down her window to the ground.

"Do you need me to come and get you?" Reggie was already up and putting on a pair of sweats. Even if she didn't need him, no way in hell was Reggie going to leave Betty alone by herself. "I'm headed to Cheryl's house, I made it to Pop's."

"Stay there. I'll pick you up."

He got there in twenty minutes and when he noticed Betty sitting at the counter, Reggie wanted to hug her tight. He did just that. She thanked Pop's and taking her bag, left with Reggie. They drove in silence, Reggie loss with his words at what to talk about as he drove to Cheryl's house. Instead, the silence te them up only being interrupted by Betty telling him that they were here. Outside was Cheryl and Toni, both looking concerned as Reggie parked in the front of the house.

Cheryl hugged Betty tightly, Toni led them inside the house. Betty broke down in tears again as she told them what she had told Reggie, which was how her mom tried sending her to the Sisters. "Your staying with us. We're keeping this quiet, between us." Cheryl told them.

She showed Betty to her room and Reggie followed. He was about to tell her that he was going to leave but Betty beat him to it.

"Stay, please."

He did. Because at the end of the day, Reggie Mantle loved Betty Cooper, always holding a candle towards her and would move hell for her. As he laid down next to her in bed, her eyes were closed, sleep taking her.

Whispering to the sleeping girl, he poured his heart out because if he didn't he knew there was no way there would be another chance.

" _I'll love you till the day I die, Betty Cooper_ " And Reggie meant it.

**Author's Note:**

> Another Beggie fic! Takes place a bit before The Midnight Club episode and towards the end diverges in the episode Manhunter. It will diverge after in the second chapter, so look out for that. I will be updating the next chapter of 'Gimmie Shelter' fic. 
> 
> Anyway, the title is taken from the song Eternal Flame by The Bangles along with the chapter titles. Enjoy this angsty-fluffy Beggie fic folks!


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